Vols Basketball: 4 Players to Watch in Recruiting

Jan 4, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view of Thompson-Boling Arena before the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Memphis Tigers. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

When Donnie Tyndall took the job as head basketball coach for the Tennessee Volunteers, he knew his new job would be a challenge and would likely involve a good deal of turnover. I don’t imagine, however, he foresaw the amount of attrition he has experienced since becoming the Vols head coach.

Within a week of Tyndall taking the job, the four man signing class former Vols head coach Cuonzo Martin left behind had all requested releases from their Letters of Intent. Their departures, while at least somewhat expected after the coaching change, were still a big blow for the 2014-15 roster considering the Vols were losing  four starters in Jordan McRae, Jarnell Stokes, Jeronne Maymon, and Antonio Barton from this past season. While forward Phillip Cofer is still very much considering resigning with the Vols, losing all four signees didn’t help Tyndall’s cause.

Monday brought more bad news for Tyndall and the Vols. Two current players, sophomores Darius Thompson and A.J. Davis, both requested releases from their scholarships and plan to explore other options outside of UT. Thompson was primarily the backup point guard this past season, while Davis played sparingly and mostly early in the season. Both, however, were expected to take on much larger roles in the upcoming season, and both might have been starters.

Former 5-star guard and fellow rising sophomore Robert Hubbs III has also been rumored to be mulling over a decision to stay with the Vols.

While the roster turnover has been drastic, Tyndall and his staff have been able to sign two players since arriving in Knoxville, receiving signatures from forward Jabari McGhee and JUCO guard Kevin Punter within three days of each other. While the work that’s been done in such a short time by Tyndall and his staff has been impressive, the roster is still very much depleted, and the Vols have 6 available scholarships to offer for the upcoming 2014-15 season.

The Vols must now look for immediate help in recruiting, and they must look beyond merely the high school ranks for help. Transfers and JUCO players are in high demand this time of year, and with the signing period coming to a close on May 21st, time is of the essence for the Vols.

Here are four names to keep an eye on in the coming two weeks as the Vols scramble to add some depth to their roster.